Chauffeur Life

The kids sure like to drink. Just not alcohol. Data shows that’s down by a considerable percentage among young people. Good for them. No, the youths in my social circle like to stay hydrated. They are never without a water bottle (bedazzled or stickered to set it apart from everyone else’s Owalas and Stanleys) or a sweet tea with a fat straw from a boba shop.

On a recent weekend visit from my college bestie and her teen and tween daughters, we must have hit every bubble-beverage and smoothie spot in town. All of that chauffeuring made me hyperaware of what makes for a well-appointed back seat. Number one, according to my expert passengers? Cupholders. Not just for drinks, but also for phones and sunglasses, because it’s easier to remember them when they’re sticking up rather than hiding inside a console or lying on a charging pad. Note to designers: Can you do phone-charging cupholders?

The Ford Ranger that I had for the weekend got high marks for its back-seat cupholders and the fold-down console with its padded armrest. “I hate when there’s nowhere to lean,” declared the 16-year-old, weary already. It’s exhausting being so cool.

For Sale Near You

See all results for used cars for sale near h3a 2n4

Complaints about the Ranger were the lack of dedicated climate vents for the back seat—their mother and I were freezing up front while they were still too warm in the back—and the hefty step-up into the cabin, which was challenging while carrying a large milk tea with mango jelly. “I can’t hold the door and jump down at the same time,” the younger one said, exhibiting a remarkable concern for parking-lot door dings rarely shown by people who don’t pay insurance premiums (and often not even by those who do).

A later ride in my ’80s Dodge Ramcharger had the same step-up and A/C problems, but the couchlike bench seat and full-length windows offset the lack of modern amenities. That vehicle is a favorite of my neighbor’s kids too, so if you’re investing in collector cars, grab a Ramcharger or a Plymouth Trail Duster before they go the way of vintage Broncos in price.

While trucks from that era might seem like a potential family travel solution, not everyone is willing to let their kids ride in a vehicle where the closest things to airbags are the Gabriel HiJackers someone installed in 1973 and the whoopee cushion that’s been under the seat since two owners ago. With that in mind, I made a list of some modern back-seat luxuries that have impressed me or my discerning young friends in recent new cars.

Dual Bluetooth connectivity: Unless you like being critiqued for your playlist, the ideal setup lets a back-seat passenger connect their phone for media while the driver links theirs for ­navigation­ and­ communication.­ I ­first ­noticed­ this ­feature ­on a Dodge Durango, but it’s increasingly common in newer infotainment systems.

For Sale Near You

See all results for used cars for sale near h3a 2n4

Third-row USB ports: It’s pretty much a given that second rows will have charging points, but with bigger families, that middle row is where the child safety seats latch in. While little ones might run low on apple juice, the older crew in the wayback will require a different kind of recharge. If you’re looking at base models, make sure to check the USB-port placement, as those are the trims most likely to cheap out on the third row.

Smart seats: I recently drove the new long-wheelbase Tesla Model Y L­ and­ noted that ­the­ middle-row­ chairs­ fold­ flat­ but­ don’t ­slide.­ While­ I wasn’t thrilled about having to make my way down the center aisle, airplane style, to get to the third row, I was impressed that the seatbacks in the second and third rows can be raised or lowered from the driver’s seat. Another neat trick is that if the front passenger’s seat is left too far back, it can adjust itself to prevent the middle row from crashing into it during folding. Also, the middle-row armrests automatically lowered when the door opened to make entry to the back easier. This is what I want from technology: smart seats. Now give me back a physical shifter.

Sparkle: At the end of the weekend, I asked the 11-year-old her thoughts on the Ranger. “It’s okay,” she said. “Only I like those cars where the tables fold out of the seats and the ceiling is all sparkly, like those caves where there are stars in the cave.” Rolls-Royces? I also like those cars. I respect her outlook, so I didn’t tell her what those cave stars actually are. Note to designers: Have you considered glowworms?

Like a sleeper agent activated late in the game, Elana Scherr didn’t know her calling at a young age. Like many girls, she planned to be a vet-astronaut-artist, and came closest to that last one by attending UCLA art school. She painted images of cars, but did not own one. Elana reluctantly got a driver’s license at age 21 and discovered that she not only loved cars and wanted to drive them, but that other people loved cars and wanted to read about them, which meant somebody had to write about them. Since receiving activation codes, Elana has written for numerous car magazines and websites, covering classics, car culture, technology, motorsports, and new-car reviews. In 2020, she received a Best Feature award from the Motor Press Guild for the C/D story "A Drive through Classic Americana in a Polestar 2."  In 2023, her Car and Driver feature story "In Washington, D.C.'s Secret Carpool Cabal, It's a Daily Slug Fest" was awarded 1st place in the 16th Annual National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards by the Los Angeles Press Club.
 

Columns